The Traffic of Aged Slaves

Abstract

This article studies aged slaves in Brazil on the second half of the 19th
century. More specifically we analyze the rates of aged slaves in total
numbers of slaves traded from 1861 to 1887 in the paulista localities
of Areias, Guaratinguetá, Constituição (Piracicaba) and Casa Branca.
First we define 50 years and over as the age bracket for the group that
is the subject of the study. Then we outline some characteristics of the
selected localities, focusing on the expansion of coffee plantation in the
province of São Paulo. Finally we examine the transactions registered in
the selected localities and the characteristics of the aged slaves involved.
We found, among other important results, that the rates of aged slaves
traded were inversely proportional to the volume of total trade in slaves;
that the bulk of the transactions involved male aged slaves and local deals;
and that the average age of the aged slaves traded increased in time.
We found that there were dealings resulting from a direct demand for
aged slaves, and also that in some dealings aged slaves were a necessary
part in transactions that had in mind the access to the labour of slaved,
free or freed persons that were relatives of those aged slaves. Our final
considerations are presented in the fourth section.